Houndstooth, Susan, Sartorial Excess

[HAZY SURF-POP] It’s no secret that the Oregon Coast lacks the warmth typically associated with the sun-soaked beaches that inspired '60s surf-rock. Good thing, then, that we have a band like Houndstooth to capture what a trip to our local beaches might sound like—light and fun, definitely, but also drenched in a gentle gray haze. The group’s most recent effort, 2013’s Ride Out the Dark, finds the five-piece expanding its established surf influence, delicately balancing distorted lead guitar and acoustic interplay amongst singer Katie Bernstein’s breezy croon. The songs are often layered in reverb and light, laid-back percussion, but the music is far from dreary, instead offering groovy, twanged-out touches of color that dissipate the fog along with Bernstein’s bright, delicate voice.